The story of the general who shaped Australia. John Monash's life is emblematic of Australia's much-heralded egalitarian spirit - here is the ultimate outsider: poor, Jewish in an era which still practised anti-Semitism, bookish at a time when intellectual pursuits were frowned upon - who rose to become one of the nation's most enduring folk heroes. He established himself as a major force, not just on the bloody fields of wartime Europe but also in post-war society, where he oversaw vital developments in making Australia into a modern nation. When he died, an astonishing 300,000 Australians attended John Monash's funeral in Melbourne.